“I don’t want to make the decision for council,” Speck said. “I would prefer for council to at some point reach their own majority.”

Speck suggested holding a special meeting to speak with the candidates further and have time to review candidates himself. He hoped such a meeting would prompt council to come to a majority on one candidate but council did not approve holding such a meeting.

“We’re effectively tabling this,” said Councilman Christopher Bauers of the deadlock and suggestion of a special meeting. “We met to decide this and make an appointment to the planning commission.”

Advertisement

The planning commission seat was vacant since March, according to Borough Manager Jean Krack.

There were three candidates but only Johnson and Ryan Norris were present to be interviewed before Tuesday night’s borough council meeting, where the vote took place.

William Davis was the third candidate.

In multiple votes, borough council came up with a 4-4 tie, with Jeremy Dalton, Mike Kuznar, Jon Ichter Jr. and Shai Perednik voting for Norris and Council President James Kovaleski, Vice President Dana Dugan, Jennifer Mayo and Bauers voting for Johnson.

In such ties on Phoenixville’s council, the mayor is the deciding vote.

After Speck initially declined voting, both Johnson and Norris came up and re-interviewed.

Johnson served on the planning commission for 11 years, as recently as last year, and served as its representative to the Phoenixville Area Regional Planning Commission.

“I would like to see the planning commission have a little more experience on it than it currently has,” Johnson said.

She said she would like to make sure that new developers coming into the borough are “consistent” with the borough’s current track.

“There were some good plans and there were some not-so-good plans,” Johnson said of her time on the commission. “It’s an education.”

The general manager of the Fenix Bar on Bridge Street, Norris said he wanted to become a member of the planning commission because he “love(s) the future” of Phoenixville and wants to “help it go the right way.”

He said he has volunteered for the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce and in the borough.

“I would love to be a member of this board just for the benefit of the town,” Norris told council.

After the re-interviews, Speck maintained that he still wanted to hear from Davis, who he said also had experience on the planning commission.

Krack stressed how “important” planning commission members are and the need to have all seats filled.

“There’s always stuff on every agenda, every time,” Krack said. “They don’t ever not have meetings. Believe me, there’s always the need to have a full body.”

A planning commission meeting was set for Thursday night, two days after council’s meeting.

Eventually, Speck decided in favor of Johnson. She’ll serve until the end of the current term, which expires March 2016.